Swimming device



A. E. ANDERSON SWIMMING DEVICE Filed March 14, 1927 May 21, 1929.

"'erred to as 17 and 18 respectively,`for conchambers.

Patented May 21, I l i UNITED sTa-Tss-V PATENT OFFICE.

nvm E. ANDERSON, or cnxcneo, ILLINoIs, AssreNon To AIRUBBEB conroBA'rIoN, t or curacao, ILLTNoTs, n conronA'rIoN or ILLINoIs.

SWIMMING Dnvrcn i application mea Iamh 14, 19a?. smal Nc. waere.

This invention relates to swimming vd'enarrow marginal zones, as indicated at 9,

vices of the type rovided for assisting perand also along a relatively narrow intermesons in learnlng ow to swim, and for endiate zone 10. ablin' persons who cannot swim to keep It will be seen that the two sheets of rubtheir eads above water. berized fabric thus united, form a pair of One of the objects of the invention is to independent chambers 11 and 12, which are provide a suitable device ofthe above de- Vadapted to be inflated.` By using knitted scribed character, which will be adapted to fabric for the protective covering, stretching be positioned in-the vicinity of the small I`bf of the rubber sheets due to inllation of the the back of a person whereby4 substantially device is not hampered, since such fabric is vthe entire body will be permitted to enter also capable of being stretched a considerthe water. Another object is to provide such able amount. n a device which will not hinder arm and leg I prefer. to unite these sheets togetheras movement whereby practicing of the various above mentioned, by means of vulcanizing, known swimming strokes will not be interand I further prefer to vulcanize the said fered with. zones under a relativel high pressure. By Further objects of the invention are to prothus uniting the two s eets under pressure, vide a device of the above described character a ver in the nature of an air cushion which will 13, `ig. 4) will remain between the marbe stron and dependable; which may be ginal portions'14 and 15 respectively of the easilyi ated; which will be relatively small two rubberized sheets of fabric, part of the and compact both when deflated and inexcess of rubberbeing forced inwardly to dated; and to provide means for fastening form an integral bead 16 around the respecthe device in the said position on the body, tive peripheries o`f the two chambers 11 and which means will not interfere with action of 12 on the inside thereof. it will, of course, the arms or legs in swimming; and in gen-l be understood that before the sheets are thin sheet of rubber indicated at p.

eral to provide an improved device of the united as above described, the rubber sheets i class described. Other objects and advan- 5 and 6 are of substantially the same thicktages of the invention will be understood ness to the edge of the fabric and that when when reference is had to the following specipressure is applied to the marginal portions, bication and accompanying drawing, in some of the rubber will be forced inwardly, which li have illustrated a preferred embodias above explained. Due to the pressure apment of my invention, and in which: plied in uniting the sheets, the rubber is iig. 1 is a view illustrating the method of forced into the interstices of the fabric in using the device. the said marginal and intermediate zones,

lFig. 2 is a side elevation of the device and thereby produces a very strong bond bewhen dedated. v tween the two sheets of fabric. The bead Figs. 3 and 4f are sections on the lines 3-3, '16 also provides a material advantage in that and 4--4 of Fig. 2 illustrating the device it serves to reinforce the joint between the when inflated, and o two rubber sheets 5 and 6 so that separation Fig. 5 is a section of a valve vuse'ol in conthereof at the joint is practically impossible. nection with my swimming device. In Jthe present embodiment I prefer to Referring now to the drawings, my improvide the sheets 17. and 18 of substantially `proveddevice comprises a pair of sheets of circular form, as best shown in Fig. 2.

rubber indicated at 5 and 6, each provided With the sheets circular in form, and joined with a protective covering ofqfabric, preftogether as above described, it will be seen erably knitted fabric, indlcatei at 7 and 8 that I produce a pair of oppositely facin res ectively. The combined sheets 5 and 7 semi-cylindrical chambers which are adapted an 6 and 8 respectively, may constitute to be inflated to form an air cushion comsheets of a rubberized fabric hereinafter reprising two independent but connected When these chambers are invenience. These sheets are placed' face to flated, they will assume akcircular shape face with their rubber sides adjacent each substantiall as illustrated inFig. 3 in cross other and then united by suitable means, section, an the cushion will have a subi preferably vulcanizing, around relatively stantially oval shape in side elevation, but

indicated at 23, and at its outer end to the e side of theplunger as indicated at 24. The

plunger is slidably mounted in a sleeve 25 which is cemented or otherwise secured Within a suitable rubber sleeve `26. The sleeve 26 extends upwardly beyond the end of the sleeve 25 as indicated at 27 so as to surround a portion of the plunger 21 and at its lower end as indicated at 28. The valve is mounted between the two sheets which are united to form the chambers, and the rubber sleeve 26 of the valve structure is vulcanized or otherwise united to the rubber facing of the respective sheets 17 and 18 as indicated at 29.

As shown in Fig. 5, the valve is in open position to permit iniation or deflation of the ychamber with which it communicates. It will be seen that air may be blown into the chamber through the apertures 24, 22 and 23, and that when a sufficient amount of air has been introduced, the plunger may be slid downwardly through the sleeve 25 until the aperture 24 is closed by the upwardly extending portion 27 of the rubber sleeve 26. It will be further noted that when the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 5, the lower end of the rubber sleeve 26 may be pinched between the fingers to prevent the escape of air from the chamber while the person takes a new breath so as to enable him to further inflate the cushion. The bulging lower end of the plunger 21 is effective to prevent the plunger 21 from being pulled entirely "out of the sleeve 25. I prefer to extend the sheets 17 and 18 so as to provide flap portions 30 and 31 respectively as best shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, for protecting the valve structures.

As above brought out, it is contemplated that a swimming device of the form de scribed will be applied to the back of the swimmer inthe vicinity of the small of the back. For the purpose of securing the device to the body, I provide a strap member 32 extending across one side of the cushion and secured thereto by suitable means such as staples at points in the united marginal zone 9 as indicated at 33 and 34, and also at 35 in the intermediate united zone. 10. The strap member extends outwardly from the o posite edges of the cushion and one end ci) the strap is provided with a suitable buckle 35 permanently secured thereto, and

which is adapted to receive and gri the opposite end Yof the strap member. g further provide a strap member 36 on the opposite side of the cushion and secured thereto at the same points at which the strap member 32 is secured. From an inspection of Fig. 3 it will be seen that the strap mem# ber 36 and the opposite portion of the strap member 32 serve to limit the degree of infiation or expansion of the respective chambers. These strap portions therefor serve to reinforce the cushion structure so as .to prevent rupture of the joints in case excessive pressure is introduced thereinto.

I am aware that various changes in the form, construction and proportion of parts may be made in constructing a device of this type without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by .referencev to the following claims, which should be construed as broadly as possible, consistent with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention:

l. A swimming device of the class described, comprising an air cushion adapted to be positioned on a personin the vicinity of the small of the back, and means for maintaining the cushion positioned closely adjacent. the persons back, comprising a strap member secured to the cushion and extending across the outside thereof lwhen the cushion is inflated and so positioned, and around the body of the person.

2. In a swimming device of the. class described, the combination of a pair of sheets of rubberized fabric of substantially circular shape, united together around their peripheries and at a relatively narrow intermediate zone so as to form a pair of oppositely facing substantially selni-circular air chambers, and means for positioning the device on the body of a person.

3. In a swimming device of the class described, the combination of a pair of independent sheets of rubber coated knitted fabric united'- together at a relatively narrow marginal zone and at a relatively narrow intermediate zone so as to form a pair of independent air chambers, said chambers being adapted to be inflated, and the knitted fabric permitting the rubber coating to stretch as an incident to inflation of the chambers.

4. In a swimming device of the class described, the combination of a pair of substantially circular sheets of .rubber coated knitted fabric, united togetheralong a relatively narrow marginal zone and along a relatively narrow and substantially diametrical zone so as to form a pair of independent oppositely facing semi-circular shaped chambers adapted to be inflated, said zones being united by vulcanizing under pressure so as to form an integral rubber reinforcing bead at the point of union of said sheets,

-and valve means for each of said chambers through which the latter may be inflated.

5. In a swimimng device of the class described, the combination of a pair of substantially circular sheets of rubber coated knitted fabric united together in a relatively narrow marginal zone and along a relatively narrow and substantially diametrical zone, so as to form a pair of independent oppositely facing substantially semi-circular shaped chambers, adapted to be inflated, said knitted fabric being adapted to stretch With the rubber coating as an incident to inflation of the chambers, and said chambers being adapted to together assume a substantially oval shaped formation` having relatively pointed end portions. y 6. In a swimming device o the class described," the combination of a pair of substantially circular sheets of rubber coated 20 fabric united together in a relatively narrow marginal zone and along a relatively narrow and substantially diametrical zone,-

means for fastening the device on the body of a person, and comprising a strap niember secured to the device at substantially diametrically opposite portions of said marginal zone, and extending across the device and also secured thereto at said inter- 35 mediate zone.

ARvID E. ANDERSON. 

